4. Tsuyoshi Nishioka. What to do with Nishi? Is he a pinch hitter? No. Is he a late-inning defensive replacement? No. Then how in the heck can he make the team as a utility player?

My thoughts exactly. But the question raised on the last podcast was: then who is the utility infielder? It isn't going to be Dozier; he'll play everyday. Florimon? Do they really have another shortstop on the roster?

I would guess that Nishioka makes the roster... but it's the same thing as the Butera situation. You've got guys who can get you through a game at SS (Plouffe, Casilla, etc.) and C (Doumit)... if there was an injury, you could get Dozier or Florimon or Nishioka to the Twins the next day, or you could get Butera or Rivera or Towles the next day. I'd rather fill the bench with someone useful. Maybe a big pinch-hitting option or something (not that they have options... Burroughs? Pearce?)

Nishi's signing was a big swing and a miss by the front office. He makes the club -- not because he should but because they are hoping that he does something to help justify their work in the land of the rising sun.

Unfortunately, I think he does make this team. Not based on merit and athletic ability, but on the fact that I don't think the organization has the guts to send him down to AAA and pay him $3 million to play at Rochester. It would be a full admission of their mistake in signing him, and I just don't see it happening.

I'm not willing to write Nishioka off entirely yet, he was considered a decent signing at the time and put up some useful enough numbers in spring training last year (small sample I know). I think it's fair to attribute some of the awful play to the culture adjustment, the injury and the god-awful play of the entire team. That being said, I'd prefer to see Nishi start the season in Rochester to get regular playing time. Give him time and reps to improve and the organization an opportunity to prove this signing wasn't a total bust.

(First post - love the new site and the Gleeman & The Geek Podcast!!!)

Nishioka's going to make the team. The guy was considered an elite defender in Japan. Last year was an unmitigated disaster for him, but it's only Year 2 and they made a pretty substantial investment in him, so maybe if you don't have him in a high pressure starting role right away, we can begin to develop some confidence in him and (more importantly) he'll get some confidence in himself. He can "play" SS and 2B, and with no Tolbert or Punto, we really don't have another guy that does that. No, I don't think you use him as a defensive "replacement" early in the year, but it's not unforeseeable that he could calm down and get to that type of role in the future.

Frankly, if we're in a lot of games where we're even considering putting in a defensive replacement to protect a lead, this is a problem I would be happy to deal with.

Reading Jesse Lund's well-done interview with Rob Antony, two things stood out regarding Nishi:
1) Antony says the $3M won't play into the decision on whether to keep him on the roster.
2) Everyone on this team seems to cling to his spring training performance last year. They view that as the player they were getting, and the busted leg ruined it. I gotta say, I think this is delusional. I remember he had a decent BA in ST last year, but even the week before he was hurt, he looked totally overmatched out there. It might take a crummy spring training for the organization to come to terms that he needs some minor league time.

Lack of organizational depth at the top level is killing the Twins.
Every year they're looking for middle infielders. And still can't get the guys to the top level to help.
Dozier is the latest candidate,and hopefully he'll get there. Because there is still a large gap to cover with the rest of the SS candidates from AA down.

1) Antony says the $3M won't play into the decision on whether to keep him on the roster.
2) Everyone on this team seems to cling to his spring training performance last year. They view that as the player they were getting, and the busted leg ruined it. I gotta say, I think this is delusional. I remember he had a decent BA in ST last year, but even the week before he was hurt, he looked totally overmatched out there. It might take a crummy spring training for the organization to come to terms that he needs some minor league time.

Totally agree.
Completely overmatched last year, and given his weak approach from the left side, I expect more of the same.

1) Antony says the $3M won't play into the decision on whether to keep him on the roster.
2) Everyone on this team seems to cling to his spring training performance last year. They view that as the player they were getting, and the busted leg ruined it. I gotta say, I think this is delusional. I remember he had a decent BA in ST last year, but even the week before he was hurt, he looked totally overmatched out there. It might take a crummy spring training for the organization to come to terms that he needs some minor league time.

Interesting points. But while part of me hopes you are right, two things lead me to cling to my initial position, which is that they try him out again this year:

(1) I expect that he would look pretty good in Spring Training. He's been working down there days before the pitchers and catchers even arrived. And I have to think he looks good fundamentally in practice and beating up on AA-level pitchers in front of 1,000 people. Nishioka's problem, to me, seemed to be that he was just completely overwhelmed by the spectacle of a Major League Baseball game. I think Gardy knew it, I think the fans knew it, and not only is there no way of predicting that happening based on past performance, but I don't know how you fix it.

(2) This team's M.O. is not necessarily to cut and run from mistakes when they swing and miss. They usually stick out a little bit, or compound the error. Gomez got a second year. Delmon got two years before his mirage of a "breakout" year in 2010. And I think Matt Capps is the best example here, because about 90% of the blogging/media community viewed Capps for Ramos as a sunk cost, but rather than dumping him for another compensatory pick and picking a cheaper relief option that would at least be a new face for the fans to hate on, they brought him back.

2) Everyone on this team seems to cling to his spring training performance last year. They view that as the player they were getting, and the busted leg ruined it. I gotta say, I think this is delusional. I remember he had a decent BA in ST last year, but even the week before he was hurt, he looked totally overmatched out there.

Indeed. When I was down in Ft. Myers last year, Nishioka was one of the players I was really excited to check out, and I came away thoroughly underwhelmed. I'm not a scout, but it seemed obvious even to me that -- speaking strictly from a skills standpoint -- this guy didn't have what it took to be a major-leaguer. Even in batting practice he barely hit any hard drives. I'd love to see him turn things around this year but I have a hard time seeing it.

Indeed. When I was down in Ft. Myers last year, Nishioka was one of the players I was really excited to check out, and I came away thoroughly underwhelmed. I'm not a scout, but it seemed obvious even to me that -- speaking strictly from a skills standpoint -- this guy didn't have what it took to be a major-leaguer. Even in batting practice he barely hit any hard drives. I'd love to see him turn things around this year but I have a hard time seeing it.

This is why I wonder what the heck the Twins saw in Yoshi when they scouted him in the first place. Did they only watch him on good days batting RH?

I think that Nishoka will have to prove himself in ST and the Twins need to find a way to help him gain his confidence back. He was terrible last season, but had a brocken leg a week into the season and switched positions. He also had a 9 game hitting streak in early August. It might actually help him to start in Rochester for a month or so and get his act together there... I seriously see him competing for the last bench position with players like Mastroianni (Hughes, Plouffe and a C are locks in my mind)

I think that Nishoka will have to prove himself in ST and the Twins need to find a way to help him gain his confidence back. He was terrible last season, but had a brocken leg a week into the season and switched positions. He also had a 9 game hitting streak in early August. It might actually help him to start in Rochester for a month or so and get his act together there... I seriously see him competing for the last bench position with players like Mastroianni (Hughes, Plouffe and a C are locks in my mind)

I still don't realistically see a need for Matroianni, unless Span is out for concussions.
Another C is also a complete waste of roster space. Doumit cannot be THAT bad.

Unless

Morneau starts on the DL
Mauer has to play first more because of name-your weakness.